Media release: On May 15th, Toys for Tots teamed up with the Exchange Club of Rome to deliver more than 3,000 books to Johnson and Garden Lakes Elementary Schools. The majority of the books will be given to students in Pre-K, Kindergarten, and First grade during the last week of the school year. Exchange Club Community Service Chairman, Meredith Brown, states "It is our goal that the books will help promote reading at home during the summer months." The book titles included Good Night Moon, Bernstein Bears, Little Prairie House, Jam and Bread for Frances, Paddington Bear, and Richard Scarry Bedtime Stories. Each child will receive several books to have as their own. The extra books will be distributed to teachers to be used in their classrooms and for other media supplies.

The books are being provided by the Exchange Club of Rome as the Rome/Floyd County 2012 Local Community Organization of the Toys for Tots Foundation. "Toys for Tots is as interested in children learning year-round as making sure children in need get a new toy at Christmas," says Hal Gosnell, member of the Exchange Club of Rome, the Marine Corps League, and coordinating chairman for the Annual Toys for Tots campaign. " The Exchange Club of Rome is excited to partner with Toys for Tots in aiding these efforts," adds Exchange Club President, Buzz Wachsteter.

Exchange, America's Service Club, is a group of men and women working together to make our communities better places to live through programs of service in Americanism, Community Service, Youth Activities, and its national project, the Prevention of Child Abuse. The Exchange Club of Rome meets every Friday at noon at the Palladium on the Coosa Valley Fairgrounds.